The present invention relates generally to the field of movable carts, and, more particularly, to a movable cart which is designed specifically for holding equipment, accessories and supplies of the type frequently used in the screen printing industry.
Operation of a screen printing facility is often a fairly messy business. Print screens of the type used for printing posters and textiles, such as are used in t-shirt shops, are usually treated with a light sensitive photographic emulsion coating prior to use in making a printing plate. Particularly when printing in various colors is intended, a number of such coated screens are required. Thus, wet screens must be placed for draining and drying in a position which prevents smearing of the design on the screen. Previously this meant using a great deal of space and inevitably resulted in pools of emulsion solution which would be tracked about the work area.
Wet screen racks, brushes, solution containers, ink flood bars, spreading tools ("squeegees") and other miscellaneous and sundry items generally clutter the work area, creating a potential safety hazard, as well as being unsightly and causing a less efficient work environment.
Conventionally, storage of some printing items, including parts of the printing presses, whether wet or dry, was merely by hanging items on a wall or post by a nail, or, for example, by propping a screen up against a wall to dry, or storing a plurality of clamps and/or other miscellaneous hardware in a cardboard box where the items become tangled and may rust if damp when stored. The usual practice is to lay squeegees flat, horizontally, to dry, sometimes causing buildup on the blade.
Notable features of the new cart include the specially designed hanging brackets/bracket shelves from which the blades and squeegees are suspended by insertion of their mounting ends (opposite the blade portion). Another optional mounting device includes a flat bar which is sized and positioned so as to releasably receive the adjustable mount brackets used to suspend printing squeegees.
The new universal printing cart dramatically improves set-up time, production and clean-up in a printing operation. The new cart is ideal for organizing and storing all printing aids, for example, squeegees, flood bars, clamps, screens, ink, spatulas, spray adhesive, press wash, clips, t-squares, etc. As described further herein, the new cart provides an easy, inexpensive way to significantly improve the organization of virtually any print shop. The cart is designed in a modular manner to accommodate individual needs and preferences. The customer needs only to purchase the options and features needed for a particular printing site.
Accordingly, it is among the objects of the present invention to provide a highly versatile device, or apparatus in the general form of a cart for conveniently, economically and neatly storing a variety of devices, tools and supplies of the myriad types used in the screen printing industry, and which cart can thus be said to be "universal" in its applications, and that such cart be suitable for storing printer's tools and supplies in a handy, organized, easy to access position which facilitates drainage of wet items.
It is further among the objects of the present invention, having the features indicated, that the new device be compact or "modular" and adapted for ready mobility to further enhance its use, and that the new universal cart be easy to assemble by an individual with little or no instruction and using, at most, only a few readily available, common hand tools, and that such apparatus be adapted for assembly in a manner which is facile, and suitable for customizing for a particular user's preference, including at least temporary storage of quantities of heavy supplies, such as buckets of emulsion or ink.
Accordingly, in keeping with the above-mentioned goals, the present invention is, briefly, a cart for maintaining items specifically used in the printing industry. The new cart includes four upright support members disposed in pairs substantially parallel and spaced apart from one another to define the corners of a box shape having a rectangular plan view. Rectangular frame members are horizontally disposed, one spacedly above the other and connected at each one of the four respective corners to one of the four upright support members. A plurality of hanger brackets are connected to and depend from the rectangular frame members and are suitably sized and shaped to receive and retain, in a suspended, substantially vertical position accessories, tools and supplies commonly used in the printing industry.
The invention further includes, briefly, at least one shelf supported on a preselected one of the rectangular frame members, spacedly above the floor or other support surface, to thereby provide a surface for support of a printer's items which cannot be hung from the hanger brackets.
These and other objects will be in part pointed out and in part apparent in the description hereafter.